AN “INSANE” aide for European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has been forced into a humiliating U-turn after coming under fire for making outrageous comments about Brexit.

Martin Selmayr's comments have thrown more pressure on Jean-Claude Juncker

Martin Selmayr, chief of staff to the European Commission president and a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, said last week Europe would be better off without Britain.

Mr Selmayr triumphantly declared: “Britain’s departure will help Europe to finally forge a new identity.”

His comments were savaged within Brussels, with one senior commissioner stating derisively: “Martin is mad, he is positively insane.

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“No one believes this idea that Brexit will unite Europe somehow. I don’t think Jean-Claude believes it either.”

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Juncker and Selmayr, who was blasted for saying Brexit made the EU stronger

Mr Selmayr has now been forced to backtrack on his ludicrous statement, conceding in a humiliating Tweet: “For the record: Juncker & team fought hard for fair deal so that U.K. could remain. Am very sad about 23/6 result.”

The embarrassing misstep has badly damaged Mr Selmayr’s reputation, who had been gunning for the role of the Commission’s Brexit negotiator but has now timidly stated: “I already have my dream job.”

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Mr Juncker has come under huge pressure since Britain voted to leave the 28-country bloc earlier this summer, especially regarding his stubbornness over the cause of the historic decision.

In the wake of the referendum, he argued the 52 to 48 per cent Leave victory had nothing to do with immigration, a major factor for many voters - and was instead because of former Prime Minister David Cameron’s repeated complaints about the European club.

He said: “Cameron was making the point that the referendum was mainly about migration and immigration. I don’t believe this is the case because this problem is a problem which concerns all of us.

“If you are telling people for years that something is wrong with the union, you cannot be taken by surprise if voters believe you.”